Welcome to My Kitchen: Rabbi Lynn Brody Slome's Killer Knish

Bake time: 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes

Makes 16 knishes from crescent dough & 9 slightly larger knishes from puff pastry or 18 large knishes from puff pastry dough

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb ground beef, 80/20, 85/15 or 90/10
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4-1lb potatoes, any kind- if redskins, Yukon gold, or fingerlings, may leave skin on, otherwise peeled and cut into 2” chunks.
• 1 cup chicken soup or bullion, like Telma made double strength w/1 c. water
• 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough (each makes 16 minis) or 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls & 1 pkg frozen puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
• Flour for board
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

* Optional, but delicious, cooked, mashed garlic cloves 6-12, cooked for 10 minutes in olive oil until soft and barely brown. Save oil for another use.

SUPPLIES:

• Baking sheet covered with parchment or foil & cooking spray.
• Pastry brush
• Rolling pin

DIRECTIONS:

Filling

1. Boil potatoes until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Drain & mash with potato masher. Add chicken broth, 1 teaspoon at a time until light like mashed potatoes, but not soupy.

2. Lightly brown chopped onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Salt. Set aside. Don’t wash pan.

3. In same pan, add 1 tsp oil if using 90/10 or none with 80/20 or 85/15.

4. Brown the beef using the (unwashed) potato masher to keep separate.

5. Drain fat. Season with salt and pepper. If using garlic, mash it well & add it.

6. Add meat & onion to potatoes, mixing well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

* You can do this much the day before.

Dough

If using crescent rolls

1. Unroll crescent rolls on lightly floured board, 1 rectangle, 2 triangles at a time. Pinch the diagonal seem together with your fingers. Turn over on lightly floured board so rolling pin doesn’t stick to the dough.

2. Roll out slightly in only one direction, aiming for a square. Cut the square into quarters. Place 1 tbsp filling on each.

3. Pinch together edges, gathering opposite points together. Pinch until sealed. Flip over. Repeat with 3 remaining pieces, adding a little flour to board each time. Repeat 3 times to make 16.

If using puff pastry

1. Defrost 30 minutes at room temperature first. Cut into three long rectangles on lightly floured board. Flip over to get 2nd side lightly floured.

2. Placed sideways, then roll in one direction, trying to make it a little more square. Cut each strip into 3 squares. Use 1-1/2 tbsp filling for each.

3. Repeat using second half of package. This will give you 9 or 18 depending if you use both pieces.

4. Checking to make sure all edges are closed, brush tops with egg wash.

5. If desired, grind salt, pepper or sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. *My preference is colored sea salt.

6. Place on baking sheet watching carefully after 15-20 minutes. If using puff pastry, cooking time might be 5 minutes longer. 

Notes: Reheat uncovered for 10 minutes at 350. May be frozen.